SAS Nagar, May 28- Sector 76-80 Anti-Enhancement Struggle Committee today took out a protest march against the extra price being charged by GMADA from allottees and buyers of Sector 76-80. The march started from Gurdwara Shri Singh Shaheedan, passed through Amb Sahib Chowk and culminated at the GMADA office. The protesters raised slogans outside the GMADA office and submitted a demand letter addressed to the Chief Minister.
The demand letter stated that the Sector 76-80 Allotment and Struggle Committee has submitted several demand letters earlier on this issue, but no solution was found. It was mentioned that GMADA had launched a scheme of 3,950 plots in 2000, with the successful applicants to be given possession in 2001. However, after a lot of struggle, GMADA held the first draw in 2007, and allotment letters were issued in 2008. The applicants had deposited 25 per cent of the amount with Jimada, which is with Jimada since 2007, which has benefited Jimada immensely. Jimada also allotted the remaining plots in 2019.
The demand letter further said that from July 2023, Jimada has been sending demand notices to allottees and plot owners, asking them to deposit an additional price of Rs 2,645.50 per square yard. During 2006-07, Jimada had paid the amount to the landowners under court orders, and now after 17 years, notices are being issued with 12 per cent interest, with directions to deposit the specified amount within a month, otherwise 18 per cent interest will be charged, which is sheer injustice to the residents.
It was said that as per the calculation of Jimada in 2012, no amount was to be recovered from the residents, which is why no notice was issued at that time. Jimada is going to get huge revenue by selling about 32 acres of commercial land along the newly constructed road from Sector 85 to 89 through auction. The commercial land in Sector 76-80, which is put up for auction by Jimada and some of which has been sold, should not be considered as part of it and no amount should be recovered from the residents.
The demand letter mentioned that some farmers had not given land under the scheme, and the case of 102 acres of land was won in the courts. Ultimately, the Hon'ble Supreme Court had pronounced judgment in favour of the landowners on 22nd January 2015 in Civil Appeal No. 7424 of 2013 (Karnail Kaur and State of Punjab and others) in I.A. No. 80 of 2014. Later, Jimada acquired 102 acres of land under the land pooling scheme by entering into an agreement with the farmers. On this land, GMADA had already allotted plots and dues have been recovered from the plot holders, but issuing notices for recovering additional price from the plot holders for the remaining 102 acres is sheer injustice and unfair, and these notices should be withdrawn immediately.
On the occasion, leaders of Sector 76-80 Anti-Enhancement Struggle Committee, comprising Harjeet Singh Bholu M.C., Hardiyal Chand Badbar, Comrade Major Singh, Bhagwant Singh Gill, Navjot Bachhal, Jarnail Singh, Avtar Singh, Surinder Singh Kang and Dayal Chand demanded that the above notices be withdrawn immediately and the residents be given relief by stopping the issuance of further notices.